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📰 A Family Needs Your Help - Papa Needs a Kidney

📰 The Alchemy of a Novel - An Evening with Laura Resau

📣 New Sponsor - Kingdom Impact Consulting Group

🗓️ Jack Neely on the First Knoxvillians — Blount Mansion Centennial Lecture Series

🗓️ Bourbon Class Returns to The Vault Room

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Knoxville Insider subscriber Connor Buis reached out on behalf of his Nashville friend Holly, whose father Steven Morrison — living in Massachusetts — urgently needs a living kidney donor.

Steven's blood type is O. If you have O+ or O– blood, you may be compatible — but if you have a different blood type, don't count yourself out. The transplant team can explore a paired kidney exchange, where donors and recipients are matched across pairs. You don't need to be family. You don't need to know Steven personally. You just need to be willing to find out if you can help.

Steven's kidney disease has progressed significantly and he is now experiencing serious complications, including fluid buildup around his lungs. His doctors are working to manage it, but his kidneys are failing and time matters.

Living donors don't need to be nearby. The UMass transplant team coordinates the process, and donors can come from anywhere.

To register as a potential donor, visit umass.donorscreen.org. When prompted, enter: Name: Steven Morrison | Date of Birth: 12/22/1962

The transplant team will walk you through everything. There is no pressure and no obligation — just information.

If you can't donate, please share this. Holly is asking everyone who sees this to pass it on — and Connor is asking the same of Knoxville. The right person may be one share away.

How does a writer take real memories, research, and imagination — and turn it all into a story?

Laura Resau is coming to the East Tennessee History Center on November 4th at 6:00 PM to answer exactly that question, in a talk called "The Alchemy of a Novel."

Resau is the author of The Alchemy of Flowers, The River Muse (published May 2026), and eleven acclaimed books for young readers — books that have won five Colorado Book Awards and landed on best-of lists from Oprah and the American Library Association. She's trilingual, has lived in Provence and Oaxaca, and brings a cultural anthropologist's eye to everything she writes.

On November 4th, she'll take you inside the making of her novels: the goddess mythology across cultures, the medicinal flowers, the truffle-hunting dogs, the South of France, the off-grid homes, her road to motherhood, and the decades-long creative journey underneath it all. Whether you're a writer yourself or just a devoted reader, this is the kind of evening that reminds you where stories come from. More Info

You met John Pyron in our last issue — CEO and Co-Founder of Kingdom Impact Consulting Group, a Knoxville firm helping entrepreneurs grow businesses without sacrificing their faith, families, or freedom in the process. The team works hands-on across strategy, operations, marketing, and hiring, treating each business less like a project and more like a partnership.

Starting next Monday, Kingdom Impact is bringing that same expertise straight to Knoxville Insider readers. Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, look for their Business Corner — a quick, practical tip drawn from real strategy sessions with real business owners, aimed at helping you build a business that serves your life instead of consuming it.

Got a business question you'd love to see answered here? Reach out at https://kingdomimpactconsultinggroup.com/contact-us or (865) 323-9101

Knoxville's most celebrated local historian returns to Blount Mansion Visitors Center (200 West Hill Avenue) on October 15th at 6:00 PM for "The Road to Knoxville" — a look at the city in the 1790s and its surprising connections to the Revolutionary War.

The people who founded Knoxville came from wildly different backgrounds: different states, different countries, different faiths, different accents, different experiences of the war that had just ended. Neely will trace who they were, where they came from, and what brought them — each for their own reasons — to this particular bend in the Tennessee River to build something new.

It's part of Blount Mansion's Centennial Anniversary Lecture Series, marking 100 years of the mansion operating as a museum. A $10 donation is suggested at the door (cash or card). Parking is available onsite.

RSVP to [email protected]

The Vault Room at The Liquor Vault is running another evening class, and this one goes deep into one of bourbon's most fascinating origin stories.

The Whiskey Row Region Course (Class #255) takes place October 29th at 6:30 PM at 2901 Tazewell Pike — a 1.5-hour interactive session on how Louisville's historic Whiskey Row went from pre-Prohibition powerhouse to post-Prohibition ghost town to full-blown modern destination. You'll trace the region's arc from its early days as a major whiskey trading center, through decades of decline after Prohibition, to its dramatic rebirth starting in 2013 with the opening of the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience and the wave of urban distilleries that followed.

Each participant receives six half-ounce samples to smell and taste throughout the class, plus an appetizer included in the ticket price. More Info

Interested in learning about how a VIP Pass can help your business? Reach out to [email protected] for more information!

🗓️ Now through November 7th - Walnut Springs Winery in Strawberry Plains is launching their Wine Maze experience — A Night of Pour Decisions. The concept is exactly what it sounds like: you wander through the corn maze with wine in hand, discovering five tasting stations tucked into the twists and turns, each one bringing a new pour and a new vibe. Boots are encouraged. Getting a little lost is part of the fun. More Info & Tickets

🗓️ October 2nd - The University of Tennessee, Knoxville Human Resources team is hosting a Fall 2026 Career Fair from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM at the UT Creamery (2712 Neyland Drive) — and it's open to the public. To browse open positions ahead of the fair, visit hr.utk.edu/staff-positions.

🗓️ October 2nd - Brew at the Zoo returns to Zoo Knoxville — an adults-only evening (21+) of craft beer, live music, food, and after-hours access to the animals. Local and regional breweries will be pouring a wide selection of craft beers, cocktails, and specialty brews while you wander the zoo under the stars with live entertainment and food trucks throughout. More Info

🗓️ October 2nd - The Knoxville History Project (KHP) presents The Road to Knoxville, a symposium at the East Tennessee History Center (601 S. Gay Street), developed as part of America's 250th anniversary year. More Info

🗓️ October 2nd - Ghostbusters (1984, PG) @ Marble Springs State Historic Site · marblesprings.net · Presented by Borderland Tees

🗓️ October 2nd-3rd - The Image & Sound Experimental Film Festival runs October 2nd-3rd at St. James Episcopal Church (1101 N Broadway), showcasing experimental film and sound work from artists pushing the format somewhere most commercial cinema doesn't go. It's the kind of event that reminds you what film can do when it's not beholden to a plot. More Info

🗓️ October 2nd-4th - The Knoxville Theatre Club opens its production this weekend at Borderland Playhouse (802 Sevier Avenue), with performances October 2nd-4th at 7:00 PM. More Info

🗓️ October 3rd - from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, Scruffy's is hosting a Mini Pumpkin Painting Workshop — and every participant gets two baby pumpkins to turn into whatever their heart desires. Paint them. Bedazzle them. Drench them in glitter. Give them tiny faces. Make them completely unhinged. More Info

🗓️ October 3rd - The Boozy Book Fair takes over Peter Kern Library (407 Union Avenue) on October 3rd from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM, combining The Bottom's carefully curated book selection with Peter Kern's signature cocktail craft. For this event, that means specialty bookish cocktails — drinks made specifically for the occasion and inspired by the world of books. More Info

🗓️ October 3rd - Knoxville's literary community comes together at the Hardin Valley Event Center (2620 Willow Point Way) from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM for the Literary Legends Fall Book Fest — a full day of books, authors, food, and a lineup that somehow also includes axe throwing.

🗓️ October 3rd - The Chic Flips Community Market comes to Gloria Dei Lutheran Church (6632 Chapman Hwy) on October 3rd from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and admission is free. Hosted by Chic Flips Home Transitions, the event brings together local makers, vintage finds, handmade goods, jewelry, clothing, crochet, candles, plants, and more — plus food trucks for lunch (and probably dessert).

🗓️ October 3rd-4th - The Gem • Mineral • Fossil Collector Showcase, presented by Knoxville Rocks, Fossils, Minerals and Gems, takes over the Hilton Garden Inn Knoxville West/Cedar Bluff Show Room (216 Peregrine Way) 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM both days. Admission and parking are both free.

🗓️ October 4th - The 3rd Annual Spook-tacular Tea Party, hosted at The Kraken's Cup Tearoom (4815 N Broadway St #107), takes place from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Come dressed as your best witch, wizard, sorcerer, or warlock (family-friendly costumes, please) and settle in for an afternoon tea buffet, a selection of teas, a fortune teller, and a raffle with a spooky-themed tea basket up for grabs. More Info

🗓️ October 4th - Intrepid Nitro Coffee and Tea Bar and Bowman Studios are teaming up again for a Fall Brush n Brew — a paint-and-sip class where you pick your canvas, build your palette, and walk away with something you actually made. It's happening from 2:00 PM–4:00 PM at Intrepid Nitro (11432 Hardin Valley Road). More Info

🗓️ October 5th - The Pint-Sized Opera: Welcome & Season Reveal Party runs from 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM at Barley's (200 E Jackson Avenue), and it's exactly what it sounds like: opera in an approachable setting, with the added excitement of a full season announcement. Pint-Sized Opera is Marble City's ongoing series that brings opera off the stage and into the room with you — no formal concert hall required. RSVP is required. More Info

🗓️ October 5th - 31st - Wicked Cool returns to downtown — a citywide Halloween celebration organized by Downtown Knoxville that turns Gay Street, Market Square, and the surrounding blocks into something genuinely special. Flying ghosts, spooky photo ops, and creepy-crawly installations go up throughout the area, and local businesses lean all the way into the season with Halloween-themed cocktails, specials, and décor. More Info

🗓️ October 6th - This one is part history lecture, part storytelling. The East Tennessee Historical Society's Brown Bag Lecture Series welcomes historian Amy Laurel Fluker at noon at the East Tennessee History Center (601 S. Gay Street) for a talk based on her book Haunted by Memory: Ghost Stories of the American Civil War, October 6th from 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM. More Info

🗓️ October 6th - Firepits and S'mores Galore with Fairy House Building A perfect fall night at the quarry — firepits, s'mores, and the creative magic of building tiny fairy houses in the woods. More Info

🗓️ October 7th - Up (2009, PG) @ Historic Westwood · knoxheritage.org/westwood

🗓️ October 8th - On October 8th at 10:00 AM, the National Garden Clubs, Inc. and the Tuckaleechee Garden Club, TFGC District IV will formally dedicate a Red, White and Blue Garden to Honor Veterans at the Ivan Racheff House and Gardens (1943 Tennessee Avenue) — part of the national Plant America 250 initiative celebrating America's 250th anniversary.

🗓️ October 8th - The Friends of the Knox County Public Library, in partnership with the East Tennessee Historical Society, presents "Zenith Man: A Talk by McCracken Poston Jr." at 6:00 PM at the East Tennessee History Center (601 S. Gay Street). Free and open to the public. More Info

🗓️ October 9th - Be Aware and Paint Your Pair is a breast cancer awareness paint night coming to Splatter Oak Ridge (1143 Oak Ridge Turnpike, Suite 105, Oak Ridge) from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. More Info

🗓️ October 10th - Get ready for an electrifying experience at the 2026 Knoxville Drive Electric Festival from 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM. More Info & Sign Up

🗓️ October 10th - Scruffy's Cafe (1015 N. Broadway) has partnered with Dolly Parton's Imagination Library to host Story Time with the Cats from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM. More Info

🗓️ October 10th - Organize Your Genealogy takes place from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM at the East Tennessee History Center (601 S. Gay Street), led by Brandie Ledford, a Reference Assistant in the McClung Historical Collection. More Info

🗓️ October 10th - Halls Branch Used Book Sale (4518 E Emory Road) 10:00 AM–5:00 PM

🗓️ October 10th - Hola Festival 2026 takes over World's Fair Park on October 10th from 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM — a full day celebrating the art, music, food, and culture of Latin America and the Hispanic community right here in Knoxville. More Info

🗓️ October 10th- Get ready for a day of spooky stories, live music, folklore, and Halloween fun as Appalachian HorrorFest returns to the Holiday Inn–Cedar Bluff for its fourth year! More Info

🗓️ October 10th - Ready for something a little different? The Oddities & Art Market is making its Knoxville debut on Saturday, October 10, bringing a wonderfully weird day of art, curiosities, and unique finds to the World's Fair Exhibition Hall More Info

🗓️ October 11th - Cato at 4247 Sam Walton Way is hosting a Barn Quilt Painting Class from 5:30 PM to 8:00 PM, where each participant will create their own 10" x 10" barn quilt square. All materials are provided, patterns come pre-drawn on the boards, and no prior experience is required. Tickets are $25 per person, with 100% of proceeds donated to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. Spots are limited — reserve yours by registering in store or calling (865) 922-9369.

🗓️ October 11th - Amadeus Concert Ensemble opens with PIANO PASSIONS at 5:30 PM, featuring internationally acclaimed pianist Dr. Chih-Long Hu, Professor of Piano at UT Knoxville. More Info

🗓️ October 11th & 12th - Get ready for a fun-filled day celebrating Knoxville’s local creative community at the Second Annual Scruffy Roots Festival! The festival will bring together local artists, vendors, music, and family-friendly activities for an afternoon and evening of fun at The Lawn at Kern’s Bakery. More Info

🗓️ October 15th - Archives After Dark, part of Knox Heritage's Suppers & Such series, transforms the firm's storied office space at 6:00 PM into an evening of clandestine cocktails, jazz, and whispered history at 505 Market Street, Suite 300. More Info

🗓️ October 15th-18th - Board Game Days 2026 — Knoxville's premier tabletop convention — across two downtown venues. More Info

🗓️ October 16th - Unshattered is a black-tie evening for exactly 120 people — one night, never repeated — coming to The Standard in Knoxville, doors at 6:30 PM. Created by three-time founder and local event architect Preston Garland, the evening unfolds across four movements. More Info

🗓️ October 17th - The Knoxville Reptile Expo presented by Show Me Reptile Show takes over the Knoxville Expo Center (5441 Clinton Hwy) from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. More Info

🗓️ October 17th - The October Sky Festival returns to Oliver Springs on from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM — a free, all-day community celebration of the town's rich heritage and its place in American cultural history. Oliver Springs was the filming location for the beloved 1998 film October Sky, based on Homer Hickam's memoir about a coal miner's son who fell in love with rocketry and went on to work for NASA. More Info

🗓️ October 18th - Spend a beautiful fall afternoon enjoying nature, music, and family fun at the Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum! Family Garden Day takes place Sunday, October 18, from 1–5 p.m. This free community event invites families to get outside and explore the Garden with hands-on activities, lawn games, and plenty of opportunities to discover the beauty of the season. More Info

🗓️ October 22nd, 23rd, 29th, and 30th - The Museum of Appalachia Fall Heritage Days returns for four days — at the museum's stunning 35-acre grounds in Norris. This is the region's most immersive celebration of early Appalachian life at harvest time, with skilled artisans and educators demonstrating the crafts, foods, and traditions that defined this corner of the mountains. More Info

🗓️ October 22 & October 23 | 4:30–8:30 p.m. A little autumn magic is coming to Ancient Lore Village with Trick-or-Treat Trails, a whimsical Halloween experience created especially for younger adventurers! More Info

🗓️ October 24th -The 5 Love Languages Family Conference comes to First Baptist Knoxville from 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM, led by Dr. Gary Chapman himself. The author of the #1 New York Times bestseller will spend the day walking through five sessions designed for parents, grandparents, and anyone building or hoping to build a family. More info & Register

🗓️ October 24th - The East Tennessee Holistic Health Fair is happening from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM at 2931 Kingston Pike. presented by the East Tennessee Wellness Directory, brings together local practitioners, wellness businesses, and community members for a full day of exploration, education, and connection. More Info

🗓️ October 24th - Trenditions Hair Studio (6822 Maynardville Pike) is hosting Beauty for a Brighter Tomorrow from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM — a fundraising event with services, food trucks, and vendors, all in Lecia's honor. Spots are filling up fast — call the salon at (865) 922-0452 Tuesday through Friday to book yours before they're gone. Food trucks and vendors will also be on-site.

🗓️ October 24th - Karns Branch Used Book Sale (7516 Oak Ridge Hwy) 10:00 AM–5:00 PM

🗓️ October 25th - The Knoxville Buddy Walk — an annual celebration supporting people with Down syndrome — is coming to the World's Fair Park Festival Lawn (963 World's Fair Park DrIVE), and the organizing team is looking for volunteers to help make it happen. To sign up or for more information, contact Angie Holbert at (865) 202-8867 or [email protected].

🗓️ October 25th - The Howl-O-Ween Pooch Parade & Pet Expo returns to the UT Gardens from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM — an afternoon celebration of dogs, costumes, fall, and the very good people who love both. More Info

🗓️ October 27th - Knox MAHJ Social Club is hosting Tiles for Tatas from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the Knoxville Botanical Gardens Carriage House — an American Mahjong event benefiting Breast Connect and the work of Stephanie Buchanan Ewers in the fight against breast cancer. To reserve: text or call Stephanie at (865) 809-2636.

🗓️ October 30th - November 1st - The Foothills Craft Guild's 60th Annual Fine Craft Show takes over the Knoxville Expo Center (5441 Clinton Highway). Friday and Saturday run 10 AM–6 PM; Sunday is 10 AM–4 PM. More Info

🗓️ October 31st - Monsters at the Museum returns to the East Tennessee History Center (601 S. Gay Street) on October 31st from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM for a full day of free, family-friendly Halloween fun. More Info

🗓️ October 31st - Trick or Treat on the Square takes over Market Square and Union Avenue from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM — a free, family-friendly evening where downtown shops, restaurants, and businesses hand out candy to kids making their way through the square. Free trick-or-treat tote bags are available while supplies last at the Downtown Knoxville table at 17 Market Square (between Kabuki and Not Watson's). More Info

🗓️ Tuesdays - Knoxville Dodgeball has been running weekly drop-in games at the Farragut Community Center Gym every Tuesday from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM since April 2025, and the doors are open to anyone 18 and up. More Info

See Recurring Weekly & Monthly Networking Events

🗓️Free Veterans’ Breakfast: The United Veterans Council of East Tennessee presents 20 free breakfasts for Veterans and guests on four Saturdays, monthly. Coffee line starts at 8am, Chow line starts at 8:30am. Locations and Dates

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